Kenneth Tella Atchison

Kenneth Tella Atchison, 71 of Abilene, passed away on Wednesday, December 30, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, January 6, 2016 at the Southern Hills Church of Christ, 3666 Buffalo Gap Road at 10:00 a.m. with burial to follow at the Buffalo Gap Cemetery. A visitation with the family will be held on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Piersall Funeral Directors, 733 Butternut Street.

Kenneth was born on December 2, 1944 in Kermit, Texas to John Tella and Mamie Carol (Smith) Atchison. After the death of his mother as a young child, he helped his dad on the family cotton farm. From the age of 13 until he graduated from Midland Lee High School in 1963, he worked for Furrs Supermarket. After graduation, he attended and graduated from Texas Tech University in 1968 with a degree in agricultural engineering. Every summer, he would work hard measuring cotton in the fields for Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCA) in order to put himself through school. In 1973, Kenneth earned his Master's degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Arizona.

On May 17, 1968, Kenneth married Patricia Diane McMullan in a small ceremony in Corpus Christi, Texas. Kenneth and Diane would eventually make their way to Abilene where he worked as a Civil Engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers and she worked as an Academic Advisor at ACU.

Kenneth and Diane were faithful members of the Southern Hills Church of Christ. Kenneth was known as a silent servant both to his family and church family. He served the church by counting those in attendance in Bible class and worship; and he is probably already counting everyone up in Heaven. Kenneth was always working in the background taking care of any needs, from cleaning up while others were cooking or taking care of the recycling to fixing things around his kid’s homes. His hands were never idle, they were always busy taking care of others and putting their needs before his. His daughter always described him as a rock!

Kenneth was preceded in death by his parents, John and Mamie Carol Atchison. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Diane Atchison, son Lance Atchison and wife Debra of McKinney, Texas and daughter Jennifer Atchison McLeod and husband Michael of Shenandoah, Texas; and his two sisters, Martha Carol Shuttlesworth and husband Doug of Jacksonville, Texas and Marilyn Clary of Lampasas, Texas. He is also survived by 5 grandchildren, Jeremiah Bogdan Atchison, Anatoly John Atchison, Dmitri James Atchison, Kylie McLeod and Caitlin "Katie" McLeod.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Kenneth's name to the Charlie and Peggy Marler Endowment Fund at ACU (http://www.acu.edu/advancement/where-to-give/endowment/charlie-peggy-marler.html), or to Eastern European Missions (https://www.eem.org/memorials-and-honors/).

Condolences can be offered online at www.pbfuneraldirectors.com.